Keep on running . . . do doo do do doooo

The Persian Gardens are enjoyed
Originally uploaded by Yukata Me.

Homestay means that I don't spend unendless hours moping and trawling the intermanet and writing posts . . I do have some great sakura photos that I want to get up sometime soon though . . . NOT going to happen anytime soon though . . .
So in the maintime I will make use of another . . .

This photo didn't really capture the lovely atmosphere of the late summer night surrounded by lights as I lounged sleepy on cushions by the banks of the river. But I hope to see even more lights very very soon!!

I'm keeping on the move and am currently contemplating the bizarre and surreal thought that tomorrow I will be in Shanghai . . huh ?! How in the world did I come to this . . . Well, I could probably come up with some ideas and knowing me that'd be lengthy explained with the verbal equivalent of an annotated bibliography . . ha haa to me!

Someone said to me today that 'Adelaide' seemed to fail in any attempts to cheer me up . . Well you sure made a good show of it! And for that I thank you . . . this was one of those lovely times!

China . . . China . . . weird. An likely to get to the Wall but I will see Shanghai, Chengdu and O-san's hometown of Xi'an.

Now I must dash home . . . when I say dash I mean begin to make the roughly one and half hour journey that it takes to return home. Tonight I have to go via the video store a couple of stops away from mine and then try and pick up some batteries for my dictionary for I can converse with my fellow travellers! In Japanese or English . . blow Chinese - I have a four expression vocabulary and two are best left unsaid!

Don't expect to hear from me anytime soon!

The fam

The fam
Originally uploaded by Yukata Me.

Seeing my family was great . . .

Funny how much better I feel being back here. And I know that a big part of that is the amazing 'family' situations I have found myself in since my return.

I have been helping Maki out recently by making late night/early early morning phone calls to America and she is really grateful but I feel like I can never repay her and her family for their hospitality and kindness!

Now, living with my homestay family kicks arse . . . Certainly takes away any problem of being lonely! For Rina the novelty of a big sister hasn't worn off yet and last night I had another interestingly interrupted nights sleep with her in my bed.

Week one is almost over . . .
Classes are going okay . . Advanced and middle Japanese . . I might die but here's hoping!

Best got on the phone to the USA!

Hope peeps in Auslandia are enjoying their long weekend and chocolate - not an egg in sight over here!

Absence made my chocolate buzz extreme . . .

Absence made my chocolate buzz extreme . . .
Originally uploaded by Yukata Me.

Oh the Chocolate Bean .. how I love thee . . let me count the ways . . .
I seem to have some weird metabolism that doesn't seem to work well on normal food but if I only eat chocolate is in peak form! I cite the week after my faux 21st when I ate the remains of the yummy cake made by Chris for berkkie, lunch and dinner . . . my recent trip back to Ads which was featured significantly regular visits to The Bean along with many many Soy Chai Lattes . . . and bike riding.

Have just been speaking online to my (one of, and the one featured above - I believe this was our belated Valentines date!) Lady of the 'laide as well as Keiko (in Japanese) in China . . . the wonders of msn!

I am back in Japan and now with my host family! It's amazing and I am so glad I made this decision. I now have a new teacher who is 7 years old and one of the best I have ever had! I also have a little play thing in the shape of an adorable and smiley little 1 year old. I walk 25 minutes everyday to the elevated light rail stop (the past two days in torrential rain) and catch a 25 minutes train out to school. I have already received one home made obento and it was the best!

The parents are lovely and the mum is a piano teacher who specialised in western music at university so the house is full of music. She was also announcer on tv in the past and is gorgeous in face and spirit! The dad is always off early and home late but lots of fun and friendly when around.
Hope they live me as much as I like them!

Classes seem to be working out okay but I have yet to have to hit my straps and am have been allowed to take Advanced Japanese this semester! This means that I am generally the only white face to been seen but I'm here to work hard so here I go and hope I don't die in the process!

Ahh! So busy!
Already!

Staying with Maki was brilliant.
Seen lots of sakura already - many photos for the posting but must rush off now because I have to hand in my subject choices form and head off to 花見 (はなみ hanami) sakura (cherry blossom) viewing picnic! (generally involving lots of alcomihol～)